Electrochemically active materials function to promote and sustain electrochemical reactions such as those which occur when a battery system is charged or discharged or reactions which otherwise occur when a chemical species is oxidized or reduced at an electrode surface. Likewise, electrochemically active materials can function as catalysts which promote chemical reactions wherein electrons are exchanged between reacting species, either in the presence of an externally applied current or in the absence of such a current. Electrochemically active materials have utility as battery electrodes, fuel cell electrodes, electrochemical sensors, catalysts and the like. The present invention is directed to a novel class of nanocomposite materials which are electrochemically active. As will be described in greater detail hereinbelow, the materials of the present invention have significant utility as battery electrodes, particularly as electrodes for lithium battery systems. The materials of the present invention exhibit very high efficiencies. In addition, they manifest good chemical and mechanical stability when in use. The materials of the present invention are relatively low in cost. Furthermore, the present invention provides particular methods for fabricating the nanocomposite materials. These methods are rapid, low in cost, and readily scalable to produce large volumes of the nanocomposite.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings, discussion and description which follow.